Bridgeport Library invites public to shape future design

BRIDGEPORT — The Bridgeport Public Library will host a community engagement event as part of a larger initiative to reimagine library spaces across North Central Washington. The October 23 event will gather public input on potential improvements to the library's interior design.

NCW Libraries is holding a town hall meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Bridgeport Public Library, located at 1206 Columbia Avenue. The event is open to all community members, regardless of age, and will feature a presentation by Library Forward, a nationally recognized design firm specializing in library spaces.

“Our goal is to reach as many members of the community as possible, both current library users and non-users,” said Michelle Orosco, Bridgeport Librarian. “Please come share your ideas for how the library can better serve your needs.”

Following the town hall, representatives from the library and design team will be available from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at a pop-up kiosk outside the library and city hall to answer questions and collect additional feedback.

For those unable to attend in person, an online survey is available at www.ncwlibraries.org/bridgeport/. Paper copies of the survey in both English and Spanish can be obtained at the Bridgeport Library.

The community engagement initiative is part of NCW Libraries' broader "Reimagining Spaces" project, a multi-year effort to redesign interiors of all branch libraries across its five-county system. Bridgeport will be the eighth library to undergo this process.

NCW Libraries has enlisted the services of Library Forward and Forte Architects of Wenatchee to spearhead community engagement efforts and develop interior design plans. The design phase for Bridgeport's new interior spaces will begin in early 2025, with completion of the redesign and additions expected in early 2026.

For more information about the Bridgeport Library community engagement and the Reimagining Spaces Project, interested parties should visit ncwlibraries.org/reimagining-spaces/.